'Poor Little Rich Kids' like Succession's Kendall, Shiv, and Roman and Gossip Girl's Blair Waldorf seem to have everything, and yet… they’re still miserable. Hearing the old adage “money can’t buy happiness” can be grating, especially in financial times like these – but there is a kernel of truth in it. So to get a better understanding of this trope and why it keeps popping up on screen, let’s take a closer look at the Poor Little Rich Kid in film and television: the important truths the trope can expose, the places it falls flat, and why (no matter how much we might love the characters) it’s still often hard for us to sympathize with them.

Join our Patreon to unlock the members-only series “Total Take," vote on what we cover next, and more:   / thetake  
Read articles on film, TV and culture: https://www.the-take.com
Follow our socials: https://linktr.ee/thisisthetake

CHAPTERS
00:00 The 'poor little rich kid' trope
01:03 Living the dream... all by themselves
03:43 When they do try to connect with others
05:55 Getting crushed by parental pressure
10:03 Why it's still hard to sympathize with them
12:27 Why this trope can be useful (when done right, at least...)


Films/Shows Shown/Mentioned:
Succession (2018 - 2023) HBO / Warner Bros.
Gossip Girl (2007 - 2012) Warner Bros.
Yellowjackets (2021 - ) Showtime Entertainment
The O.C. (2003 - 2007) Warner Bros.
The Midnight Club (2022) Netflix
Pretty Little Liars (2010 - 2017) Warner Bros.
Emily in Paris (2020 - ) Netflix
The Batman (2022) Warner Bros.
Iron Man (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010) Paramount Pictures
21 Jump Street (2012) Sony Pictures
The Holdovers (2023) Universal Studios

The Take was created by Debra Minoff & Susannah McCullough
This video was written by Cassondra Feltus, narrated by Jessica Babineaux, and edited by Derek Little